Training a young Shinigami
Kenji Misakiwas sitting up in a tree resting from his battle with sakura. He had fought for so long the parmedics actually took his body away thinking it was in a coma or something. He didn't care. He preffered life as a Shinigami to a human with the exception of his Hollow. "I'm getting there kid!!" The Hollow's voice cam from Kenji's concioussness. "Soon all your power will be mine!" "GO AWAY!!!!!!!" Suddenly Kenji felt a strong spiritual pressure coming from around him and called "Who's there?" Yudai Tendou, a shinigami and captain of the 10th Squad appeared above, in the skies of Karakura town. It had been several months since his previous visit to the small town and he was enjoying the air. His personal mission was to track down and find a boy who had obtained hollow powers before the Soul Society found out. "He's up there?" Kenji thought jumping up from the tree into the air and standing right in front of the captain. "Who are you?" Kenji asked. "Why do you feel so powerful?" Yudai turned around, looking rather comical at the boy, "Why do I feel so powerful? Well that could be for several reasons. For one, I am a user of bankai and two, Im like you." Kenji looked confused at this. Yudai snickered and made a motion with his hand, summoning his hollow mask to his hand. "See, I'm just like you." he said to the boy. "A.... Hollow mask!" Kenji said taking a look at it. "But what's Bankai?" Yudai gave the boy a puzzled look and then responded, "Well it's hard to explain. Bankai or final release, is the second stage of a zanpakuto. Since I'm a shinigami captain, I am required to know bankai." Yudai explained making his hollow mask vanish. "But in order to know bankai, one must first know shikai. Do you even know your zanpakuto's name?" Yudai asked, almost sarcastically. "You named your Zanpakutou?" Kenji asked looking slightly puzzeled. Yudai looked dumbfounded at the boy, but knowing that the boy mostly trained himself, this was not a surprise to the captain, "Ok listen up, shikai is first "upgraded" form available to a zanpakutō. To activate it, a Shinigami needs to learn the name of their zanpakutō. This is not as easy as simply picking a name for the blade, as the living spirit of a zanpakutō already has its own name. Therefore, a Shinigami must be able to communicate with their zanpakutō effectively, which requires being able to speak to the spirit within its world." Yudai allowed this to sink in before continuing. "You can't just start talking to the metal blade so I'll do some exercises with you so that the zanpakuto will speak to you and mabey you will be able to hear it's name." he explained. He took the boy by his arm and used shunpo to transport them outside of the city and onto the rocky shores of Japan's coast. "Okay, your first exercise is to try and cut these two bells off of my belt." he explained, fastening two bells to his belt. Yudai also drew his zanpakuto and dropped into a defensive stance. "Ok!" Kenji said his mask forming, knowing he would need enhanced power and speed. "What's your name by the way?" "My name is Yudai." he replied to the boy, "and what is yours?" "Kenji Misaki." Kenji replied. "Now sir, let's begin." 'The Test' Kenji used shunpo to get straight at the captain, aiming staright for the bells with his Zanpakutou. Yudai arced his blade sideways to block the oncoming attack. "Just for demonstration purposes..." he said pushing Kenji away, "Bring My power, Mugetsu!!" he yelled, his blade becoming it's shikai form. "Such spiritual pressure!" Kenji thought looking at it. "So that's shikai." Kenji used his Zanpakutou to cut his hand and fired a cero out crying " Cero!" Yudai slashed the cero in two, "You forget, I'm a Vizard too. Cero is second nature to me. The reason you cannot communicate correctly with your sword's spirit is simple, you are too hollow-like. You rely too much on your hollow powers and it is causing a tension between you and your zanpakuto. Take off that mask for now, we will work on your hollow powers later, for now, focus on harmonizing with your zanpakuto." he lectured charging at Kenji and knocking him into the ground. Kenji cracked his mask. "Yes sir..." he said Kenji used shunpo to get behind the Captain and made a swipe for the bells and at the same time slashed at him with his sword. Energy poured from Mugetsu's blade in the form of a Crescent, which swirled around and protected the captain. The captain then struck out with his sword to clash blades with Ken. "You're too reckless! Focus! Try to communicate with your zanpakuto! If you don't...mine might overwhelm yours." "energyr... our natural enemy." Came a voice much different from his inner Hollow. Kenji gripped his sword tightly. "If you do have a soul, please trust me." Kenji thought as he took a swing at Yudai. Yudai felt a noticeable difference in the power of this swing. It wasn't full powered, but it would be momentarily. He thrust his blade forward again shoving Ken off. Yudai's next blow was strong enough to slightly crack Kenji's blade. "That's it! Focus!" energy poured out of Mugetsu again, completely engulfing Kenji. "Trust me." Kenji thought to his sword, "And I'll trust you. My power is yours." Kenji swung again, aiming not for the bells but for the Captain. "It seems they now hold each others trust. Now for the final push." he thought to himself. Yudai used his free, left hand and balled it into a fist. Green energy formed a horizontal line across the horizon, morphed into a ball and then fired in the form of Yudai's own green cero. Kenji tried to duck but was hit full on with the cero. "This is a Captain's power?!?!?" Kenji thought to himself. "I feel... fear.... and he's not even using full strength..." "What is this emotion I feel from you Kenji?" Came the voice again serious this time. "Why do you fear him? Stand and fight!" Kenji was motionless taking in every word. "If you truly trust me..." and Kenji saw the white cloat old-man around him, "the call out my name!" Zangetsu And his sword changed to a oversized elegant cleaver and his spiritual pressure increased. "Captain..." Kenji said as he raised his blade. "Try to dodge. I'm not sure I can control this..." Kenji swept his blade down sending a gigantic mass of energy wave in form of fang at Yudai. "Now to start the next lesson." he though as Kenji's attack flew at him, "Bankai!" The captain, erupted with purple reiatsu. When he emerged, he possessed a black robe. His reiatsu had blown the energy away. "Now for the next lesson. I applaud you on achieving shikai, our next step, is to master it. Mastery of shikai is marked by learning an attack and it's name from your zanpakuto later on, you will need to fight my bankai while trying to master your shikai." he explained. "All right sir." Kenji said. "Now please let's fight together this time." "All right," the zangetsu responded. "You'll learn as you go." Kenji released all his spiritual pressure and his sword burst into blue energy. Focus Kenji."''Zangetsu told him sternly. ''"You must master all of my abilities." "Right!" Kenji thought trying to remember how he pulled off that technique earlier. "Captain try this on for size!" Kenji yelled pouring a huge amount of spirit energy into giant sword and shooting out a huge energy crescent from the tip. "You learn fast." Zangetsu complimented him. "Listen and remember this well. An attacks strength differs greatly whether or not you know it's name. That technique is called the ''Getsuga Tensho."'' "Getsuga...Tensho..." Kenji echoed. "I'll remember that." Suddenly Kenji's Inner Hollow Flashed in front of his face and he heard the Hollow's maniacal laughter. "Damn!" Kenji thought, "Go away!" "Just a little longer kid...." Yudai chuckled, "So, it seems you just can't knock that Hollow off of ya, huh?" he stated as he approached Kenji closely and punched his gut, making him unconcious. Yudai narrowed his eyes, and lifted a finger at Kenji's face. "Hado 88, Hiryugekizokushintenraiho." he calmly stated, as the massive attack blew up in his face. Kenji jumped back screaming in agony. "What the hell was that for? I was as polite as I could be and you try to blow my head off?!?!?!?!?" Yudai sighed, "It's because you are naive. You think you can master shikai and control your hollow like it's a game. Well let me tell you something, kid. I've been around for a while, and naive people like you... are the first to go!" he called out, as he disappeared, reappearing above Kenji, holding a Cero in his hands. Without warning, he shot it at Kenji, straight down. Kenji felt it coming and countered by firing a Getsuga from his Zanpakuto to block the cero but was still thrown down by the force. He got up still grinning. "To me fighting is a game. It's like a simple game of chess and these power's I've gained just add to the fun." Yudai frowned, as he disappeared and reappeared infront of Kenji. He layed his hand on Kenji's blade. "You seem so confident with a sword in your hand. What if you lost it?" he stated, as he took the blade right out of his hands with a series of martial art moves, and also knocked back Kenji. Yudai held the blade in his hand, "It's a game to you? So I see, you win and lose? So let me tell you this, if I chose to kill you right now, did you lose a game? Or your Life?" he asked. "Depends on whether I went down having fun or not." Kenji said now glaring at Yudai. "Gimme my sword back." Yudai didn't reply, and throw the blade to him. "What's wrong? What happened to that grin of yours, huh? Not so tough now that you lost your sword, huh?" he stated as he dashed at Kenji, and kneed him in the stomach, and punched him in the face a few times, and finally grabbed his neck. "You are a Fool. A Naive Fool. You think this world is so easy. You know, I lost many of my friends in fights. And hearing you call that all a game, pisses me off to no extent. Learn to stand on your own two feet, Kenji!" he yelled, as he punched ahole in kenji's chest, straight through. Yudai smirked, "By fighting me. En gaurd." he declared. "Alright!" 'Kenji said shooting a cero out of his hand at yudai. Yudai narrowed his eyes, and knocked the cero away like swatting a fly. "More agressive, Kenji. You aren't fighting with enough agressiveness!" he yelled, shooting a larger Tenshoga at Kenji. Kenji jumped p out of the way. '"What about you?" Kenji said shooting out a special Getsuga Tensho aiming to pierce Yudai's shoulder. Yudai swished away, returning at Kenji's front, with Yudai's blade calmly rested at Kenji's neck. "What about me?" he asked, as he acrobatically, flipped, and sliced at Kenji's shoulder. But Kenji just managed to get out of the way using Shunpo. "Don't you have more power than what you're using?" 'Kenji sadi sending a massive getsuga at Yudai then using Shunpo to get around him and firing a tenshoga at his back. Kenji took the mask off though his eyes were still black/yellow. "If you're gonna train me you have to go with no holds barred or I'll never get stronger!" He said. Yudai sighed as he kicked Kenji in the face, sending him flying. "The reason I hold back is because I don't want you to die, idiot. If you want to go farther, prove to me you can best my Shikai, and then I'll consider using more power." '"Fine!" Kenji muttered sending a huge cero at Yudai. "I'll show you I'm strong!" Yudai smirked and said, "Not bad, but..." He sent a smaller Cero towards the other, but the smaller Cero ripped through the other. "Your energy is too wild and bloated. You need to compress the energy so it will have more force in the attack." "Damn you!" Kenji said jumping up and firing a special getsuga ''at Yudai aiming to pierce his shoulder. Yudai narrowly avoided the attack that was fired. He chuckled and said, "OK, that's better, but not as good as it could be." ''"Damn!" Kenji thought. "I'm in shikai and hollow mask and he isn't even breaking a sweat!" Kenji put the hilt of his sword in his mouth and cupped his hands at his sides. "I'll show you!" Kenji growled through his teeth. "My special Getsuga!" And Kenji put his giant sword out in front of him releasing a getsuga the size of a barn silo. Yudai struggled as he blocked the blast, "Good..but...not good...ENOUGH!!!" He reversed the Getsuga back at Kenji. Kenji had merely used that getsuga as a distraction. He appeared in front of Yudai. "Eat this!" He cried firing a cero form point blank range. Yudai flew through the air from the impact of the Cero. He smirked and said, "You're getting better, kid. Keep at it, and MAYBE I'll take this seriously." "Fine, I'll hold you to that!" Kenji said forming a cero-like blade in his hand and extending it out with amazing speed to cut Yudai. Yudai smirked and said, "Well, well. Quite a technique. Using tenshoga energy and sharpening it into a blade." He sighed and raised his and and charged a tenshoga. "How lame." He fired a high intensity Tenshoga toward Kenji, that ripped the top of the earth as it sped toward Kenji. "Heh.." Kenji laughed as he gripped his sword and cut the Tenshoga clean in half. "Got anything better?" Yudai smirked, as the Tenshoga halves redirected themselves toward Kenji, and went back towards him. Kenji waited until they were close to him and swatted them away. "Anything else?" Yudai sighed and said, "Still don't get it." The tenshoga's continued to attack Kenji. "Those Tenshoga's are incredibly focused energy that will continue to attack you. Keep trying all you like to swat them away, they will continue to come back and attack." "Damn!" Kenji thought using Shunpo to move out of the way as the Tenshogas came for him. "Alright." Kenji thought running around as the Tenshogas chased him then ran straight at Yudai and jumped in front of him at at the last second and the Tenshogas hit him. "Oldest trick in the book." "Missed one," whispered Yudai. A high speed Tenshoga Zennosha was blitzing toward Kenji, leaving him no time to retaliate or dodge. "Aaaaarrrrrgggghhhh!!!!" Kenji screamed as the Tenshoga his him but he managed to catch himself but his mask was cracked. "Damn you!" Kenji said sending a huge Getsuga at Yudai. Yudai smirked as the Getsuga came toward him. "It's not focused enough." He charged a Tenshoga into his sword, and shot a small dense beam toward the other, ripping through the Getsuga, and impacted on Kenji, blowing him back with an incredible force. "Alright let's see." Kenji thought sending as much spiritual power as he could without draining himself into his sword and swung it down firing a huge red crescent at Yudai. "Getsuga Tensho!" Yudai appeared in front of Kenji for a second, then behind him. "Too slow." Two big slashes, shallow cuts, but nonetheless, causing Kenji to fall to the ground appeared on Kenji's front and back. But Kenji had just managed to dodge again using Shunpo. "Damn. I'm not getting anywhere with bug flashy moves." Kenji thought watching Yudai who seemed unfazed by any previous attack he had made. "Alright let's try to focus my spritual power." Kenji thought as he was surrounded by aura. Yudai scowled and said, "You could NOT have dodged that." "It's fine Yudai-Sensei, I'll handle it," said a familiar cheerful voice. A large twister of windenergy sped toward Kenji. "Who the hell are you?" Kenji asked dodging the twister and turning to the new person. "Who am I?" responded the man. "Just a guy passing through." He smirked and said, "Training to control Vizard powers, hmm? Fun." You can call me Ken Suzuki , nice to metcha, Kenji. Hey, I’ve got an idea. You look pretty strong, so why don't we be friends, eh?” The guy sounded genuinely excited. Excited to meet me? Huh. That’s a switch. Kenji though sadly. “You said your name was Ken, right? I’ve heard that name...I remember now.” Kenji said shaking his index finger a little. “You’re the guy who’s already was transfer to my School.,” Kenji said with genuine interest. When Ken rounded the tree, Kenji was surprised. Truthfully, he was expecting a much older looking fellow than the one who stood above him. He was young, no older than Kenji was himself, and had spiked hair also. His hair was black like Kenji’s and his eyes were the same colour with no separate tone for the irises. He wore a slightly modified uniform though that didn't have the high school symbol,. “I thought you’d be older,” Kenji said, scratching his head. Everyone says that!” He laughed, helping Kenji to his feet. “But we should get goin’. We’ve got a Zanjutsu class with Yudai .” “C’mon, don’t be like that.” Kenji pleaded; arms crossed and face wearing a mischievous grin. “You got here without makin’ any noise, so I’m guessing that was Shunpo, right? I should tell you, you ain’t the only one who’s manifested their zanpakuto’s Shikai, nor the only user of Shunpo.” Yudai laughed like he normally did and shook his head, He looked towards Ken finally. “And who’s your friend? Wait a second! I’d know that face anywhere. You’re the boy who save a years ago’s kid, Ken, right?” He said with a hearty grin. Ken shook his Yudai’s hand and nodded. Sakura Shirahama mentioned you, Sensei. She said something about you being training partners a long time ago.” “You two here for the Training class then? Good, maybe you’d like to show what you know.” Them turned and looked as another figure burst through the door and fell straight on top of Kenji. As Kenji’s vision straightened, he looked upon a woman’s face, lips locked with his! Laughter broke out and Kenji went the brightest shade of red you’d ever see in a lifetime. Helping them both up, Ken made the introductions. The girls name was Akane Sakaki and just happened to be considered a childhood prodigy with anything related to Kido. Ken was awestruck the moment his eyes met her. She had the most beautiful purple eyes he’d ever seen and had long, pointy ears. I’m sorry about that, Akane.” Kenji said slightly embarrassed. Jeez, you’d think these folks had never seen a guy and girl kiss before. He was scratching the back of his head nervously, though. I’m the guy who just knocked the stuffing outta three fools at once; but the minute Akane accidently kisses me, I turn into a nervous wreck! Great, just great, he though angrily. “No, it’s alright. It was my fault.” She said in a musical voice. She said, face as red as Kenji’s as she pointed to the centre of the room. The room was spacious, but with a low ceiling, and was constructed of fine wood. Light spilled through the open doors and windows, and the wind that Kenji loved so much was blowing through the space. Joining Ken in the centre of the room, they clashed with his swords, exchanging quick, precise blows! Shifting to a Kendo stance, Ken mimicked the motion and both clashed again. The room quieted immediately, both combatants grinning. Kenji struck Ken in the chest, only for Ken to strike him twice, once in the back and the other in the shoulder. Retaliating quickly, Kenji slammed his open palm into Ken’s mid-section and followed up with a sweeping strike that took his feet out from under him. “Okay, defend yourselves!” Yudai called loudly., striking out at both Kenji and Ken with varying levels of speed and skill. Some were sluggish, and Kenji simply avoided those, while he had to parry some of the more precise ones. He couldn’t help but think Yudai had planned this. You old goat! I'm gonna get you for this! Ken had adapted quickly too and was moving in a similar manner to Kenji, eyes bright and face grinning. “Ken, back-to-back,” Kenji called, and the two youngsters’ did just that and spun as they blocked and countered, moving in a continual circle of quick strikes and parrying blows. They both smiled broadly, but those smiles turned to open mouthed surprise when Yudai raised his hand and halted to them. As they stopped kenji tapped one lightly on the head and whistled away as though nothing had happened when the guy started daggers at him. Drawing his own sword, Yudai approached slowly, posture inviting. No, I won’t be baited, Kenji thought quickly, taking a cautious step back. If Yudai wanted, he could destroy us both, so we need to avoid a direct attack out in the open at all costs. Kenji met Ken’s eye and the two fell in beside one another. “Kenji, you take the right! I’ll hit him with some kido. Use the smoke,” Ken whispered excitedly. “You got it, man. I’ll wait for it. Here he comes!” Both went in separate directions, Ken whispering the incantation below his breathe while he made it look like he was for attacking physically. Kenji began channelling his spiritual energy and the entire room gasped as his eyes turned crimson! Yudai moved too quickly, however, and was beside both before they were more than a foot apart. Catching them both by their kimonos, Yudai threw them towards the back wall and grinned. Yudai looked at Ken and grinned, and then at Kenji. The little blighters, he thought, keeping his current levels of strength in place. He’s trying his best to hide it, but Ken is definitely whispering some kind of incantation. And Kenji...? What are you doing? Yudai looked surprised for the breifest of seconds before he became collected again. Spinning in the air, Kenji threw out his hand and grasped Ken’s. Ken's expression was actually horrified as he gazed into Kenji's eyes, what is this Reiatsu I'm feeling? With a nod that told exactly what the other was thinking, Ken snapped himself out of it and continued the incantation and Kenji slowed himself to a halt with Shunpo before sprinting forward; hurling Ken forward who slammed the floor beneath Yudai with Hado 31. Shakkahō! As the smoke from the impact began to clear, Kenji charged! sword touched sword and both blades clash into raw energy across the floor. The room was in stunned silence; even Yudai was wearing a face of surprise and confusion. “Are you sure you two have only met?” He said quietly. “That teamwork was impressive! Such skill in Kido and Zanjutsu, and at such a young age! Well, I guess I’m half to blame for Kenji, but Ken’s been busy during his free time with you, hasn’t he Ken?” Praise laced his voice thickly. Kenji...You shouldn't be able to use that much power yet, no matter how much training and I have given you. I even raised my own power to prevent this from happening at the last second, but...he broke it like a twig! Kenji replied rather breathlessly, eyes still burning crimson. “...Yeah...” Falling to his knees, Kenji looked around and found someone lifting and supporting him. “Don’t worry; I’ve got you ya crazy fool. You attacked an Captain Shinigami on and snapped each other’s swords! I don’t think that’s ever happened.” Ken said with a grin of triumph, masking weariness. Their must’ve been some strength in that kido spell, because there was a pretty sizable hole in the wooden floor. Kenji, that was awesome! But I don't get it. When he grabbed my hand...I felt something hidden below the surface. “...Yeah, but I didn’t...do it alone,” Kenji retorted. “I had help from a friend.” The two bumped fists and nodded in unison. “You two are knackered!” The voice belonged to Akane and in no time at all, a green light eased their bodies and fatigue. “Thanks, Akane. Hey Sensei, how about some grub? I think we deserve something for snapping your sword.” Yudai, although impressed, simply dropped his head and sighed. He had a distinct feeling these two were going to be a problem...and Kenji had him worried. The three, Kenji, Ken and Akane laughed together before to go home. '' ''